Triple Crown | American horse racing | Britannica.com American horse racing Sir Barton Triple Crown, in American horse racing , championship attributed to a three-year-old Thoroughbred that in a single season wins the Kentucky Derby , the Preakness Stakes , and the Belmont Stakes . It had long been considered one of the most coveted and celebrated achievements in all of sports , but with the sharp decline of horse racing’s popularity by the beginning of the 21st century, the Triple Crown became less prestigious in the eyes of the general sporting public. However, it is still an elusive achievement: since 1875, the first year in which all three races were in existence simultaneously, only 11 horses have accomplished the feat. Rachel Alexandra (right), ridden by Calvin Borel, clearing the pack to win the 2009 Preakness … Nick Wass/AP Efforts to cluster races along the lines of the British Triple Crown began after the American Civil War . In 1875 Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. —the founder of Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby—tried to promote a Triple Crown centred around his Derby .

At the turn of the 20th century, race organizers in New York focused on three contests that took place in that state. These efforts failed owing to provincialism among the racing entities, with each one insisting that its own events were preeminent. In fact, it was a long time before the socialites of the Eastern states, who largely controlled the sport, would even allow their horses to run in the “West” at Churchill Downs. It was this stubborn attitude, along with a belief that the Derby was raced too early in the year—before young three-year-old horses had fully matured—that impelled owner Samuel Riddle to keep the great Man o’ War out of the Kentucky Derby in 1920, thereby denying him a probable Triple Crown. The concept of an American Triple Crown was popularized in great part through the writings of Charles Hatton, a columnist for the Daily Racing Form. He frequently used the term triple crown in reference to the three races in the 1930s, and as the term caught on, more and more owners and trainers began to prepare specifically for these contests. By the 1940s, newspapers were routinely using the term.

The Triple Crown title was formally proclaimed in December 1950 at the annual awards dinner of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations in New York and retroactively awarded to Sir Barton , the first horse to win all three races (1919). The title was then given to subsequent pre-1950 winners at following annual dinners of the organization. Similar Topics 1000+ images about Secretariat Triple Crown Winner on Pinterest | Horse racing, Lady and Track records Forward Secretariat appears to be enjoying retirement from racing on November 14, 1973 at Claiborne Farms in Paris, Kentucky. Secretariat won the horse racing Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes) in 1973 and set a track record of 1:59 2/5 for the 1 1/4 mile Kentucky Derby. Secretariat also ran each quarter mile of the Kentucky Derby faster than the previous one, meaning he was still accelerating as he finished. See More WGBH American Experience . Seabiscuit . Horseracing in the U.S.

| PBS The race at Belmont is born June 19, 1867: American Racetracks The first Belmont Stakes is run at Jerome Park. The race will later move to Belmont Park and become the third and final jewel in the Triple Crown. May 27, 1873 The first Preakness Stakes, which will become the second race of the Triple Crown, is run at Pimlico Course in Maryland. May 27, 1875 The Kentucky Derby is first run at the Louisville Jockey Club Course, later known as Churchill Downs. It will become the first trophy in the Triple Crown. Starting 1900 1900 Horse racing fans can bet at over 300 racetracks across the country, but members of the rising progressive movement include gambling among the social ills they campaign to reform. 1903 Charles Howard , who will later own Seabiscuit , arrives in San Francisco, California, with 21 cents to his name. In 1905 he will open a California Buick dealership with three cars.

April 18, 1906 The San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fires destroy everything in a 4.7-square-mile area, including 28,000 buildings. Charles Howard uses automobiles from his Buick showroom as rescue vehicles when horses are injured or refuse to go down burning streets. February 5, 1909 Gambling corruption at racetracks leads the California state legislature to ban betting on horses. New York State soon follows. May 31, 1910 A filly named Regret wins the Kentucky Derby, running against a field of colts. 1919: Horse Racing Takes Off After World War I , horse racing booms. Tracks are now free from the problems of wartime rationing and limited transportation. Increased use of the pari-mutuel system is slowly helping to make betting on horses legal again. More racetracks open. June 11, 1919 Sir Barton becomes the first horse to win all three of the most important stakes races for three-year-olds: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. This series of races will later be known as the Triple Crown.

October 29, 1929 The U.S. stock market crashes , triggering the Great Depression , the worst economic collapse in the history of the modern industrial world. Starting 1930 Jockey Red Pollard and Seabiscuit August 16 Red Pollard , traveling around looking for work as a jockey, walks into the Detroit Race Track, where he meets Tom Smith and Seabiscuit. Smith sees that Pollard and Seabiscuit are compatible. Starting September 7 September 7 Seabiscuit achieves his first big win in the Governor’s Handicap, winning over half his purchase price. It is the fiftieth race of his career, and the first in which he displays a new-found inclination for racing. October 24 Long-shot Seabiscuit wins the Scarsdale Handicap, a mid-level stakes race. The fierce contest is won by mere inches in a photo finish. Fall Baseball dominates the sports news. In his rookie season, Joe DiMaggio takes the New York Yankees to the World Series. He hits a scorching .346 in his first World Series against the Giants and the Yankees are again baseball champions, the first time since 1932.

President Franklin Roosevelt receives a second overwhelming mandate at the polls with 61% of the popular vote. November 28 Seabiscuit wins the Bay Bridge Handicap by five lengths, clocking the fifth fastest mile on record at the time. December 12 Seabiscuit wins the World’s Fair Handicap easily. He comes down the stretch alone, to wild cheers and Pollard’s futile attempts to slow his speed. Four days later he will arrive in Santa Anita and be welcomed by a skeptical press corps. Winter: 1937 A few bad breaks prevent Seabiscuit from racing and cultivate his laziness and love of food — setting him back in his conditioning for the Santa Anita Handicap, a race with an unheard-of $100,000 purse. February 27 In his first try at the Santa Anita Handicap, Seabiscuit loses to Rosemont by a nose in a photo finish. March 6 Seabiscuit draws a crowd of 45,000 excited fans and wins the San Juan Capistrano Handicap by seven lengths, smashing the track record.

May 6 The German airship Hindenburg bursts into flames as it is about to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey. A reporter on the scene describes the horrific event to a live radio audience. May 29 A week after winning the Bay Meadows Handicap, Seabiscuit heads to the East Coast, to prove himself in the home of racing’s prestige . Starting June 5 June 5 War Admiral captures the Triple Crown after a win at the Belmont Stakes despite stumbling at the start and injuring his right foreleg. Library of Congress Seabiscuit takes off June 26 Seabiscuit runs in the Brooklyn Handicap, beating rival Rosemont and local horse Aneroid. Eastern writers who had previously called him “Glorified Plater” are now reluctantly quieted. In July he will win the Butler Handicap and the Yonkers Handicap easily, despite carrying far more weight than his competitors in both races. October 12 Seabiscuit wins the Continental Handicap in New York, gaining the top spot in the 1937 winnings race with $152,780 earned, $8,000 ahead of War Admiral.

November 6 After being scratched from two races in the previous week due to muddy track conditions, Seabiscuit easily wins the Riggs Handicap after rival War Admiral is scratched. Seabiscuit breaks the track record while carrying a startling 130 pounds. With the win, Seabiscuit now moves past War Admiral in earnings by $9,000. Mid-November Seabiscuit begins the train journey back to California, stopping along the way to appear for his adoring fans. December 7 Following a near-collision with another horse and rider at Tanforan Race Track in California, Pollard is suspended from racing at Tanforan for the remainder of 1937. In the wake of the devastating suspension, War Admiral is named horse of the year by Turf and Sport Digest. Two weeks later Pollard will be suspended by the California Horse Racing Commission from riding on any California track until January 1, 1938. Furious at the harsh judgment, Howard pulls Seabiscuit out of races until Pollard’s suspension is over.

January: 1938 Howard scratches Seabiscuit from the New Year’s Handicap and the San Pasqual Handicap after the horse is assigned a heavy impost of 132 pounds for both races. February 1 California police uncover a plot to harm Seabiscuit by placing a sponge up his nose to obstruct his breathing. The “sponging” accusation is front-page news. February 19 Smith scratches Seabiscuit from his fourth straight race, the San Carlos Handicap, because of rain the night before. Pollard makes the fateful choice to ride Fair Knightess, and the horse falls, crushing the left side of Pollard’s chest. March 5 In Seabiscuit’s second appearance at the Santa Anita hundred-grander, George Woolf rides the bay colt as Pollard, recuperating from his fall, watches from the stands. Trapped at the start by Count Atlas, Seabiscuit loses to Stagehand in a photo finish. Despite the loss, many consider Seabiscuit’s performance the greatest in racing history and attribute his loss only to the weight system and a foul by another horse.

Starting March 27 March 27 Seabiscuit makes a celebrity entrance in Tijuana for the Agua Caliente Handicap. Americans flood the border and overwhelm Tijuana, hoping to watch the race. Seabiscuit wins easily. Library of Congress Charles Howard and Seabiscuit after a race April 13 Howard and War Admiral’s owner, Samuel Riddle, agree on terms for a match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral. The race is set for May 30 at Belmont, War Admiral’s home track. Howard lures Riddle into the agreement with favorable conditions for War Admiral and a $100,000 purse. April 16 Seabiscuit cruises to a new track record in the Bay Meadows Handicap despite carrying 133 pounds, the highest weight assigned to a horse in modern California racing. May 20 Seabiscuit and War Admiral pose for a photo session as New York publicity reaches a frenzy. May 24 Howard scratches Seabiscuit from the match race at Belmont following several days of slow workouts, and rumors of a possible injury.

June 4 Seabiscuit places second in the Stars and Stripes Handicap, leading spectators to believe that his best days are behind him. Following the race, Seabiscuit heads home to California. June 23 Pollard agrees to work a friend’s colt, Modern Youth. The horse, spooked, leaves the track at breakneck speed and crashes into a barn. Pollard’s leg is crushed. June 29 Smith scratches Seabiscuit from the Massachusetts Handicap at the last minute upon discovering the horse has a leg injury. Corbis Seabiscuit and Ligaroti July 16 Seabiscuit beats Specify and wins the Hollywood Gold Cup, breaking a track record and reestablishing his prominence. George Woolf brings Seabiscuit from 14 lengths behind to win the race. On August 12, Seabiscuit will beat Ligaroti, a horse co-owned by Bing Crosby and Howard’s son Lin, in a match race at Del Mar. October 5 The rescheduled match between Seabiscuit and War Admiral is announced for November 1. The horses will meet at Pimlico in Maryland.

Starting October 30 October 30 Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of War of the Worlds, the tale of a Martian invasion on Earth, creates panic among listeners who mistake it for news. November 1 The long-anticipated match race is run. With 40 million listeners tuned in across the country, Seabiscuit beats War Admiral by four lengths in just over a minute fifty-six for the mile and three-sixteenths, a new Pimlico track record. December 31 Gossip columnist Walter Winchell includes Seabiscuit with Franklin Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler as one of the top ten newsmakers of the year. February 14: 1939 Kentucky Derby History - A History of the Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby History Derby Traditions The Kentucky Derby is one of the most famed horse races in the world. Aptly named "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate duration, the race is a Grade I stakes race like no other. Visitors flock to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May to watch thoroughbred horses compete along 1 and ¼ miles of racetrack.

Mint Juleps and elegant hats line the raceway as fans enjoy themselves and stay cool on race day. The race is the first leg of the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, followed by the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. Kentucky has been a major center of horse breeding and racing, tracing its traditions back to the late 18th century. Ever since it was settled, the Bluegrass Region has been noted for its ability to produce superior race horses. Louisville's premier racetrack, Churchill Downs, was founded by Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Clark organized the Louisville Jockey Club to raise money to build quality racing facilities outside the city. Churchill Downs was the name of the racetrack Clark built, and its name was officially incorporated in 1937. The first Kentucky Derby race was run at 1.5 miles, the same distance as the Grand Prix de Paris. In 1896, the distance was changed to 1.25 miles, and is currently raced at this distance.

The first race was held on May 17, 1875 in front of a crowd of 10,000 people. Fifteen horses competed in the inaugural race, and the first winner was horse Aristides and his rider, Oliver Lewis. Derby participants are limited to three-year-old horses, and no horse since Apollo in 1882 has won the Derby without racing at age two. The Kentucky Derby is host to some of the longest standing racetrack traditions in the U.S. Each year, you will find fans sipping Mint Juleps (drink made from whiskey, mint and sugar) and eating burgoo (a meat stew) at the racetrack. Women appear in lavish outfits with big, elegant hats. The University of Louisville marching band plays Stephen Foster’s "My Old Kentucky Home" as the horses are paraded before the grandstands. The Derby is sometimes referred to as "The Run for the Roses," as a blanket of 554 roses is awarded to the Derby winner each year. This tradition is thought to have started when New York socialite E.

Berry Wall presented roses to ladies at a post-Derby party in 1883 that was attended by Churchill Downs founder, Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. The fastest time ever run in the Kentucky Derby was set in 1973 when Secretariat clocked-in at 1:59:40. The most wins achieved by a single jockey is five, and jockeys Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack are tied for the record. Ben A. Jones holds the record for most wins by a trainer, and Calumet Farm holds the record for most wins by an owner. In 2006, the Louisville-based fast food company Yum! Brands announced a sponsorship deal to name the race "The Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands". The 2006 Kentucky Derby was won by Barbaro, with jockey Edgar Prado aboard. The race was attended by 157,536 fans, the second-largest crowd in Kentucky Derby history. Big Brown, with jockey Kent Desormeaux, won the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Looking for a great deal?

Exclusive offers & hottest tickets TSN delivers the 2015 American Triple Crown Series - Article - TSN TSN delivers the 2015 American Triple Crown Series TSN.ca Staff Ricoh Woodbine Mile horse race , The Canadian Press The biggest and most prestigious thoroughbred horse races in America are set to hit the track, and TSN takes a post position to deliver complete live coverage of every race from the American Triple Crown series: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. TSN's live coverage of the American Triple Crown begins with the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby – considered the jewel of American horse racing – on Saturday, May 2 at Noon et on TSN5. The network delivers more than seven hours of live coverage on race day, including extensive preview content and post-race analysis. The 2015 Kentucky Derby features a packed field of the top three-year-old thoroughbreds beginning the quest to capture the first Triple Crown title since 1978.

As well, TSN primes fans for the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby with live coverage of the Kentucky Oaks, featuring the top three-year-old thoroughbred fillies, on Friday, May 1 at 2pm et on TSN3. All of TSN's horse racing coverage from the American Triple Crown series is also available for live streaming and on-demand viewing to TSN subscribers through TSN GO. Horse Racing on TSN TSN is home to every race from the American Triple Crown, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. The network is also the exclusive broadcaster of the Canadian Triple Crown, featuring the Queen's Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes, and Breeders' Stakes, as part of a multi-year deal with Woodbine Entertainment Group announced last year. TSN is now the exclusive home of the biggest and most prestigious thoroughbred horse races in North America, as the network also delivers exclusive live coverage of the following events: • Preakness Stakes – May 16 WGBH American Experience . Seabiscuit . Horseracing in the U.S.

| PBS The race at Belmont is born June 19, 1867: American Racetracks The first Belmont Stakes is run at Jerome Park. The race will later move to Belmont Park and become the third and final jewel in the Triple Crown. May 27, 1873 The first Preakness Stakes, which will become the second race of the Triple Crown, is run at Pimlico Course in Maryland. May 27, 1875 The Kentucky Derby is first run at the Louisville Jockey Club Course, later known as Churchill Downs. It will become the first trophy in the Triple Crown. Starting 1900 1900 Horse racing fans can bet at over 300 racetracks across the country, but members of the rising progressive movement include gambling among the social ills they campaign to reform. 1903 Charles Howard , who will later own Seabiscuit , arrives in San Francisco, California, with 21 cents to his name. In 1905 he will open a California Buick dealership with three cars.

April 18, 1906 The San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fires destroy everything in a 4.7-square-mile area, including 28,000 buildings. Charles Howard uses automobiles from his Buick showroom as rescue vehicles when horses are injured or refuse to go down burning streets. February 5, 1909 Gambling corruption at racetracks leads the California state legislature to ban betting on horses. New York State soon follows. May 31, 1910 A filly named Regret wins the Kentucky Derby, running against a field of colts. 1919: Horse Racing Takes Off After World War I , horse racing booms. Tracks are now free from the problems of wartime rationing and limited transportation. Increased use of the pari-mutuel system is slowly helping to make betting on horses legal again. More racetracks open. June 11, 1919 Sir Barton becomes the first horse to win all three of the most important stakes races for three-year-olds: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. This series of races will later be known as the Triple Crown.

October 29, 1929 The U.S. stock market crashes , triggering the Great Depression , the worst economic collapse in the history of the modern industrial world. Starting 1930 Jockey Red Pollard and Seabiscuit August 16 Red Pollard , traveling around looking for work as a jockey, walks into the Detroit Race Track, where he meets Tom Smith and Seabiscuit. Smith sees that Pollard and Seabiscuit are compatible. Starting September 7 September 7 Seabiscuit achieves his first big win in the Governor’s Handicap, winning over half his purchase price. It is the fiftieth race of his career, and the first in which he displays a new-found inclination for racing. October 24 Long-shot Seabiscuit wins the Scarsdale Handicap, a mid-level stakes race. The fierce contest is won by mere inches in a photo finish. Fall Baseball dominates the sports news. In his rookie season, Joe DiMaggio takes the New York Yankees to the World Series. He hits a scorching .346 in his first World Series against the Giants and the Yankees are again baseball champions, the first time since 1932.

President Franklin Roosevelt receives a second overwhelming mandate at the polls with 61% of the popular vote. November 28 Seabiscuit wins the Bay Bridge Handicap by five lengths, clocking the fifth fastest mile on record at the time. December 12 Seabiscuit wins the World’s Fair Handicap easily. He comes down the stretch alone, to wild cheers and Pollard’s futile attempts to slow his speed. Four days later he will arrive in Santa Anita and be welcomed by a skeptical press corps. Winter: 1937 A few bad breaks prevent Seabiscuit from racing and cultivate his laziness and love of food — setting him back in his conditioning for the Santa Anita Handicap, a race with an unheard-of $100,000 purse. February 27 In his first try at the Santa Anita Handicap, Seabiscuit loses to Rosemont by a nose in a photo finish. March 6 Seabiscuit draws a crowd of 45,000 excited fans and wins the San Juan Capistrano Handicap by seven lengths, smashing the track record.

May 6 The German airship Hindenburg bursts into flames as it is about to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey. A reporter on the scene describes the horrific event to a live radio audience. May 29 A week after winning the Bay Meadows Handicap, Seabiscuit heads to the East Coast, to prove himself in the home of racing’s prestige . Starting June 5 June 5 War Admiral captures the Triple Crown after a win at the Belmont Stakes despite stumbling at the start and injuring his right foreleg. Library of Congress Seabiscuit takes off June 26 Seabiscuit runs in the Brooklyn Handicap, beating rival Rosemont and local horse Aneroid. Eastern writers who had previously called him “Glorified Plater” are now reluctantly quieted. In July he will win the Butler Handicap and the Yonkers Handicap easily, despite carrying far more weight than his competitors in both races. October 12 Seabiscuit wins the Continental Handicap in New York, gaining the top spot in the 1937 winnings race with $152,780 earned, $8,000 ahead of War Admiral.

November 6 After being scratched from two races in the previous week due to muddy track conditions, Seabiscuit easily wins the Riggs Handicap after rival War Admiral is scratched. Seabiscuit breaks the track record while carrying a startling 130 pounds. With the win, Seabiscuit now moves past War Admiral in earnings by $9,000. Mid-November Seabiscuit begins the train journey back to California, stopping along the way to appear for his adoring fans. December 7 Following a near-collision with another horse and rider at Tanforan Race Track in California, Pollard is suspended from racing at Tanforan for the remainder of 1937. In the wake of the devastating suspension, War Admiral is named horse of the year by Turf and Sport Digest. Two weeks later Pollard will be suspended by the California Horse Racing Commission from riding on any California track until January 1, 1938. Furious at the harsh judgment, Howard pulls Seabiscuit out of races until Pollard’s suspension is over.

January: 1938 Howard scratches Seabiscuit from the New Year’s Handicap and the San Pasqual Handicap after the horse is assigned a heavy impost of 132 pounds for both races. February 1 California police uncover a plot to harm Seabiscuit by placing a sponge up his nose to obstruct his breathing. The “sponging” accusation is front-page news. February 19 Smith scratches Seabiscuit from his fourth straight race, the San Carlos Handicap, because of rain the night before. Pollard makes the fateful choice to ride Fair Knightess, and the horse falls, crushing the left side of Pollard’s chest. March 5 In Seabiscuit’s second appearance at the Santa Anita hundred-grander, George Woolf rides the bay colt as Pollard, recuperating from his fall, watches from the stands. Trapped at the start by Count Atlas, Seabiscuit loses to Stagehand in a photo finish. Despite the loss, many consider Seabiscuit’s performance the greatest in racing history and attribute his loss only to the weight system and a foul by another horse.

Starting March 27 March 27 Seabiscuit makes a celebrity entrance in Tijuana for the Agua Caliente Handicap. Americans flood the border and overwhelm Tijuana, hoping to watch the race. Seabiscuit wins easily. Library of Congress Charles Howard and Seabiscuit after a race April 13 Howard and War Admiral’s owner, Samuel Riddle, agree on terms for a match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral. The race is set for May 30 at Belmont, War Admiral’s home track. Howard lures Riddle into the agreement with favorable conditions for War Admiral and a $100,000 purse. April 16 Seabiscuit cruises to a new track record in the Bay Meadows Handicap despite carrying 133 pounds, the highest weight assigned to a horse in modern California racing. May 20 Seabiscuit and War Admiral pose for a photo session as New York publicity reaches a frenzy. May 24 Howard scratches Seabiscuit from the match race at Belmont following several days of slow workouts, and rumors of a possible injury.

June 4 Seabiscuit places second in the Stars and Stripes Handicap, leading spectators to believe that his best days are behind him. Following the race, Seabiscuit heads home to California. June 23 Pollard agrees to work a friend’s colt, Modern Youth. The horse, spooked, leaves the track at breakneck speed and crashes into a barn. Pollard’s leg is crushed. June 29 Smith scratches Seabiscuit from the Massachusetts Handicap at the last minute upon discovering the horse has a leg injury. Corbis Seabiscuit and Ligaroti July 16 Seabiscuit beats Specify and wins the Hollywood Gold Cup, breaking a track record and reestablishing his prominence. George Woolf brings Seabiscuit from 14 lengths behind to win the race. On August 12, Seabiscuit will beat Ligaroti, a horse co-owned by Bing Crosby and Howard’s son Lin, in a match race at Del Mar. October 5 The rescheduled match between Seabiscuit and War Admiral is announced for November 1. The horses will meet at Pimlico in Maryland.

Starting October 30 October 30 Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of War of the Worlds, the tale of a Martian invasion on Earth, creates panic among listeners who mistake it for news. November 1 The long-anticipated match race is run. With 40 million listeners tuned in across the country, Seabiscuit beats War Admiral by four lengths in just over a minute fifty-six for the mile and three-sixteenths, a new Pimlico track record. December 31 Gossip columnist Walter Winchell includes Seabiscuit with Franklin Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler as one of the top ten newsmakers of the year. February 14: 1939 Kentucky Derby History | 2017 Kentucky Derby & Oaks | May 5 and 6, 2017 | Tickets, Events, News Derby History Derby Traditions Moments Fashion through the Decades Kentucky Derby History There are few American sporting events with the history and popularity of the Kentucky Derby.

It’s rich traditions – sipping a mint julep, donning a beautiful hat, and joining fellow race fans in singing “My Old Kentucky Home” – transcend the Kentucky Derby from just a sporting event, making it a celebration of southern culture and a true icon of Americana. The Kentucky Derby is the longest running sporting event in the United States, dating back to 1875. The race is often referred to as "The Run for the Roses®" and has continuously produced “the most exciting two minutes in sports”; uninterrupted, even when coinciding with profound historical events like The Great Depression and World Wars I & II. The Kentucky Derby’s long history began in 1872, when Meriwether Lewis Clark, the grandson of William Clark – of the famed pair Lewis and Clark – traveled to Europe. While there, Clark attended the Epsom Derby in England, a well-known horse race run since 1780, and also fraternized with the French Jockey Club, a group that developed another popular horse race, the Grand Prix de Paris Longchamps. Clark was inspired by his travels and experiences, and, upon his return, was determined to create a spectacle horse racing event in the States.

With the help of his uncle’s John & Henry Churchill, who gifted Clark the necessary land to develop a racetrack, and by formally organizing a group of local race fans to be named the Louisville Jockey Club, Clark and his new club raised funds to build a permanent racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. On May 17th, 1875, the racetrack opened its gates and the Louisville Jockey Club sponsored the very first Kentucky Derby. A total of fifteen three-year-old Thoroughbred horses raced one and a half miles in front of a cheering crowd of approximately 10,000 spectators. Aristides was the first winner of the Kentucky Derby. As with any major event, the Kentucky Derby has undergone various changes over the course of three centuries. From shortening the distance of the race, the introduction of traditions like draping the winning horse in a garland of roses, to the growing size of Derby crowds, the Kentucky Derby has embraced the change of time, while honoring the integrity of the spectacle race set forth by Meriwether Lewis Clark. Follow the timeline below to see just how far the Kentucky Derby has come since 1875.

You’ll learn about special events in the history of the Kentucky Derby, like legendary horse performances, record-setting race facts and significant changes in the celebration of the Kentucky Derby. 1874 – Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark forms the Louisville Jockey Club and acquires land for racetrack from his uncles John & Henry Churchill. 1875 – The first Kentucky Derby race takes place on May 17th. Aristides races 1.5 miles to win, in a field of fifteen horses, in front of a crowd of 10,000 spectators. 1883 – Leonatus wins the Derby, and the name “Churchill Downs” is first used to landmark the racetrack that is the home of the Kentucky Derby. 1889 – Bookmakers demand that Colonel Clark remove pari-mutuel betting machines, because they are cutting into the bookmakers profits. Spokane wins the Derby. 1894 – Due to the growing crowd size, a 285-foot grandstand is constructed to accommodate race fans. Chant wins the Derby. 1895 – The famed Twin Spires greet the Kentucky Derby crowd, on May 6th. Halma wins the Derby.

1896 – It is thought that the distance of the Derby race is too long for three year old Thoroughbreds that early in the spring, so the distance of the Derby race is shortened from one and a half miles to one and a quarter miles. Ben Brush wins the Derby, and he receives a floral arrangement of white and pink roses. 1899 – Founder of the Kentucky Derby, Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark, commits suicide on April 22, 1899, just twelve days before the 25th running of the Kentucky Derby, where Manuel wins. 1903 – Now under the leadership of Colonel Matt J. Winn, the racetrack celebrates its first profit after the Kentucky Derby on May 2nd where Judge Himes wins the race. 1904 – The red rose becomes the official flower of the Kentucky Derby and Elwood wins the race. 1908 – The use of pari-mutuel wagering machines is restored, and bookmakers are outlawed. The Derby day crowd bets a total of $67,570 of which $18,300 is placed on the Derby race alone. Stone Street wins the Derby.

1911 – The minimum bet is reduced from $5 to $2, and a betting booth is introduced. Two men are stationed in a booth to receive fans’ bets – one sells the wagering ticket, and the other operates a clicker to account for the number of tickets sold. Meridian wins the Derby. 1913 – The fees to enter a horse in the Derby and the Derby winning prize money are restructured. The new charges are $25 to nominate a horse for the Kentucky Derby and $100 for the horse to actually run in the race. With those collected fees, plus Churchill Downs adding $5,000 to the purse, the winning horse receives $5,475. Donerail wins the Derby, and becomes the longest shot to win. He pays $184.90 to win bets, $41.20 to place bets, and $13.20 to show bets. 1914 – Old Rosebud wins the Derby and sets a new track record, finishing the race in 2:03:04 and eight lengths ahead of the second place finisher.

1915 – For the third consecutive year, the Kentucky Derby splashes the news, as the first filly, Regret, wins the race. This publicity establishes the Kentucky Derby as a premier sporting event in America, after its 41st running. 1919 – Sir Barton wins the Derby and is also the first winner of what would become the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. In the span of just 32 days, Sir Barton won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, the Withers Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. 1922 – Mor Vich wins the Derby and, in addition to the winning purse, he receives a gold buffet service piece including a cup and candlesticks. The prize is valued at $7,000 and is the first Derby presentation of its kind. 1924 – Black Gold wins the 50th running of the Kentucky Derby, and he receives a trophy, exactly like the one presented today. 1925 – The first network radio broadcast of the Kentucky Derby takes place on May 16th, with about 5 to 6 million listeners tuning in to hear Flying Ebony win the Derby.

Also, notable in the year, the phrase “Run for the Roses®” is coined by Bill Corum, a sports columnist for the New York Evening Journal and the New York Journal - American. 1930 – Gallant Fox wins the Derby, and the term Triple Crown is officially used by the New York Times to describe his combined wins in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. 1931 – The Kentucky Derby is permanently scheduled for the first Saturday in May, as opposed to an undetermined date in mid-May. The move was largely due to the popularity of the idea of a Triple Crown winner, and allowed for a consistent racing schedule for horses that would participate in the three races – The Kentucky Derby, followed by the Preakness Stakes, followed by the Belmont Stakes. 1932 – Despite the Great Depression, the Kentucky Derby race continues to take place and has much to celebrate. The race is internationally broadcast, reaching England’s British Broadcasting Company, and the winner, Burgoo King, is the first Kentucky Derby winner to be draped in a garland of red roses.

1938 – A tunnel is constructed under the racetrack that connects the grandstand, spectator seats to the field inside the racetrack, called the “infield”. Admission is 50 cents to enjoy the Derby from the infield. Lawrin wins the Derby and he is the first to take to a stand built in the infield for the official presentation to the Kentucky Derby winning horse. 1943 – Regardless of the war-time travel restrictions from World War II and no out-of-town tickets sold to the Kentucky Derby, 65,000 fans gather at Churchill Downs to see Count Fleet easily defeat the field at 2-5 odds. 1949 – The 75th Kentucky Derby is locally telecast for the first time, and Ponder wins the Derby. 1952 – The public exposure of the Kentucky Derby is expanded with the first national live television coverage in its history. An estimated 10 to 15 million viewers tune in to watch Hill Gale win the Derby. 1954 – The Kentucky Derby winning purse exceeds $100,000, and Determine is the horse to cash in.

1966 – The famed “Millionaires Row” dining room is introduced, and Kauai King wins the Derby. 1968 – Dancer’s Image is the first Derby winner to be disqualified. Following the race, Dancer’s Image tested positive for an illegal medication, so the purse is taken from him, and awarded to the second-place finisher Forward Pass, who is declared the winner. 1970 – Diane Crump is the first female jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby race. Crump finished 15th out of 18 horses in the field; and even though her Derby race wasn’t a win, she brought women to the forefront of horse racing. Dust Commander wins the Derby. 1973 – In the 99th running of the Kentucky Derby, Secretariat wins with the fastest finishing time to date. Secretariat completed the race in 1:59:40, and went on to win the Triple Crown, for the first time in 25 years. 1974 – The second largest crowd in the history of U.S. Thoroughbred racing watches Cannonade win the 100th Derby.

There were a total of 163,628 fans at Churchill Downs to watch the race, which also had a record large field size of 23 horses. 1977 – Seattle Slew wins the Kentucky Derby and goes on to win the Triple Crown. He is the 10th Triple Crown winner, and the only horse to take that title while also undefeated. 1978 – Affirmed wins the Kentucky Derby and goes on to win the Triple Crown. 1984 – The Kentucky Derby is simulcast at 24 racetracks across the nation, allowing those racetracks to live wager on the Kentucky Derby race. A North American record is set for wagering on a single race, at $18,941,933. Swale wins the Derby. 1985 – The Kentucky Derby Museum is opened on the grounds of Churchill Downs Racetrack just one week before the Kentucky Derby is run. The museum’s mission was, and still is, to continue to preserve the history and to share the fun of the Kentucky Derby experience. Spend A Buck wins the Derby.

1986 – The home of the Kentucky Derby race, Churchill Downs Racetrack, is formally placed on the register of National Historic Landmarks. Ferdinand wins the Derby. 1988 – Winning Colors wins the Derby, she is only the third filly in racing history to capture the Kentucky Derby win. 1995 – Thunder Gulch wins the Derby, when the purse is increased to $1 million. 1996 – The Kentucky Derby general admission price is raised to $30; it was only 50 cents when it was first opened in 1938. Grindstone wins the Derby. 1999 – The Kentucky Derby celebrates its 125 running, and Charismatic wins the race. This is the first year Kentucky Derby fans are able to place Future Wagers. The Future Wager allows fans to bet on contenders leading up to the Derby race, when the odds are higher and there is an opportunity to win more money if the contender wins. 2000 – This year marked the third century in which the Kentucky Derby was run; Fusaichi Pegasus wins the Kentucky Derby.

2004 – The Kentucky Derby winner is Smarty Jones, and he is later featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. 2006 – Barbaro wins the Kentucky Derby, by six and a half lengths; the largest victory since 1946. Barbaro was injured just weeks later in the Preakness Stakes, and passed away after complications of that injury. He was a Kentucky Derby fan favorite, and a bronze statue is placed above his remains at the entrance of Churchill Downs Racetrack. 2012 – The 138th Kentucky Derby was a record-setting year. I’ll Have Another wins the race in front of the highest attended Kentucky Derby of 165,307 fans. Wagering also set a record, with $133.1 million wagered on the Kentucky Derby race across all-sources. 2015 – American Pharoah wins the Kentucky Derby and goes on to win the Triple Crown. He is the last horse to date to win the Triple Crown. Learn more about the Kentucky Derby and its history: Submit Thank you to our sponsor Thank you to our sponsor

Question: The U.S. horseracing Triple Crown is a title awarded to a three-year-old Thoroughbred horse who wins the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and which other race?
Answer: Belmont Stakes